Binge drinkers get alcohol advice

Binge drinkers arrested for alcohol-related offences will be referred to specialists for advice on how to reduce their consumption.

Leicestershire Police is taking part in a pilot scheme along with police in nine other areas across the country.

Leicester is the fifth-worst city in the UK for alcohol-related offences per head of population.

Now those arrested will have to see a specialist within a week or be prosecuted for the original offence.

The Home Office is funding the £1m scheme which includes pilots in North East Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Bristol, Cleveland, Stoke-on-Trent, Cumbia and Islington and Swindon.

Tangible benefits

The city council has calculated that drink was responsible for at least 5,000 crimes and more than 6,000 hospital admissions were drink-related in 2007.

Bernadette Wharton, criminal justice lead for the drug and alcohol action teams across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, said the development would have tangible benefits.

"It is timely for Leicester to undertake this work as it has long been recognised that alcohol-related offending puts a huge burden on individuals, families and communities.

"Some people will get this (referral to a specialist) as their penalty while other people will go to court and get it alongside a court penalty."

The scheme is due to run until April 2010.

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The campaign has been launched in Leicester